private club membership ??

[Stig of the Dump]

Hiya Guys,

 

Can anyone help with a question regarding private club membership ?? Here's the deal... in feb 2013, I made an appplication to join as a probationary member of a target shooting club. At the time of applying , I was informed that I was to be a " probationary member " and that full membership would not be offered until I had been a probationer for at least three months and I had also completed a minimum of 12 supervised visits. After that I could apply for full membership. The club official at the time of signing me up as a probationary member took £104.00 in cash and outlined the above " membership " requirements. Since that time I managed to attend on 2 ocassions and have not been able to fulfill either joining criteria. The club agm was held recently and I asked for a refund of my membership fee as I had not attended suffiecient times to qualify for as a member and could not envisage me being able to join on a full time basis due to outside work, family, and other commitments. I sent an email to the club secretary at the time of the club agm and have received a reply that says - tough - we are not prepared to refund any fee as I was a member and my membership is in place.... errmm I am not a member, I am still classed by club rules as a " probationer member "....

 

So for over 100 quid and 1 recorded visit I get fobbed off for a refund due to " club rules " ....

 

Any Ideas guys... ?????

[renegadeimp]

get a full complaint in to them and send by recorded delivery. IF they mess you are round, issue a LBA giving them 7-14 days ( your choice) to refund the money, or you sue them in small claims court. Just be aware that you must be 100% sure that you are right and that you are willing to see it through to the end, whatever the outcome may be.

[citizenB]

I have asked for some help for you and also to see if you are in the best forum

 

Were there any physical terms and conditions that set out what you have said above or was it all verbal ?

[ericsbrother]

You were told of the conditions of membership when you joined as a probationer and you failed to keep to these conditions for whatever reason. The club is not allowed by law to allow you full membership but can, at its discertion, allow an extended membership. The failure is all on your part, not the club preventing you from passing probation by its action. You have nothing to gripe about and you should ahve thought about it more carefully at the time. I cannot see a reason for returning your subscription as the club havent done anything wrong, you have just failed to attend the prescribed amount of times.

I would not sue them for the return of the subscription as you will lose. The club is bound by the 1997 amentments to the firearms act and has to apply its rules accordingly. Also, as the club is a members club you cannot sue as you would be suing yourself as well as all of the other members. If you leave the club then you have no contract so you cannot sue for breach of contract so you cannot sucessfully sue. Leave it well alone or lose money.

I was the secretary of a registered members club for more than 20 years that had a target shooting subsection so my advice is based on some experience of the matter.

[steampowered]

My personal view is that the club are probably in the right here. You paid £104 to join a club for a certain period of time on certain conditions. Those conditions were explained to you when you paid the money. It is not the club's fault that you can no longer meet the conditions. It would be nice if the club gave you a refund, but I don't see why they have to.

[slick132]

Hi Stig,

 

Did you get a copy of any Terms and Conditions which governed the probationary period. If so, they should set out what the rules are and what is expected of both parties.

 

Is the £104 the full m/ship fee for a year or would you have to pay more when you finished probation and became a full member.

 

The probation period was a minimum of 3 months and 12 supervised visits. From what you say above, you made just 2 visits in five months. If you'd have visited more as I am sure you anticipated, you'd now be a full member. However, you had less time than you thought because of family, work, etc.

 

Either make the time necessary to visit more often, or forget the matter and move on. I see no reason for the club to refund anything, unless they do so as a goodwill gesture.